ladder

[PATheron]

Guys- How many taps do you guys figure you can put on a sap ladder and am I correct in thinking that you can run a piece of mainline over the ladder to keep big vac on the bush and the sap will run up the ladder when it pools at the star fitting and not go up the mainline jumper. Im just wondering what you guys use as a standard tap count per star ladder. Theron

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[maplecrest]

the rule of thumb is 10 taps per each lift line

[tuckermtn]

we did 120 taps with two six-way stars (i.e. two on top, two on bottom) last season seemed to work fine- same as jeff's 10 taps per stub on the star...

[Brian Ryther]

Jeff is correct. I tried to do 200 on two six way stars and it was not enough. On good days the main lines were flooded = no good. When I added a 3/4" jumper from bottom line to top it was just right.

Can you have too many stars / transfer lines?

[sapman]

Can you guys elaborate a little on the mainline jumper in the ladders? Not sure I completely understand this.

Thanks,
Tim

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[Brian Ryther]

I have considered the check valve idea before. But I don't know of a swing check that will be 100% tight in a vac system. This year I don not plan on turning off the vac pump during the season, but If I were to the check would work well.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[Big maple]

The sap ladders we use are T's at top and bottom 90's at the ends and two vertical risers the same size as our main line (1"). This moves sap well and also vacuum transfer is excellent. We have found that aboot twelve feet is the highest we can lift it. If I remeber correctly the North American Maple Producers Manual has a few different variations of sap ladders.